Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review (2022)

Disclaimer: We were hosted guests of Windstar Cruises on this sailing, but as always, all opinions in this post are our own.

Ship Overview

Windstar Cruises is one of only two cruise lines that sails year-round in Tahiti. While the Wind Spirit sailing yacht typically cruises in Tahiti, the Star Breeze, one of the newly transformed Star Plus Class yachts, is also cruising the region for a limited time this year. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check out this “new” ship!

So, for this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review, we hopped aboard the Star Breeze for its Dreams of Tahiti itinerary as guests of the cruise line.

This 13K gross ton ship recently underwent a major update in 2020 as part of the Star Plus Initiative. During this process, the ship was lengthened by 84 feet. This all new section includes a number of new cabins, as well as new public venues, in addition to several other improvements throughout the ship.

The 8 deck Star Breeze holds just over 300 passengers. However, for this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review, the ship was sailing at about 30% capacity. Needless to say, it felt like we had this luxury yacht all to ourselves.

While small in size, Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze still features plenty of cruise staples. On the outdoor decks, there is a central pool and whirlpool area, along with the popular Star Bar. There are also plenty of loungers on Decks 7 and 8 to soak up the French Polynesian sun. There is even a secluded forward-facing whirlpool on deck 5 and the complimentary thermal suite located in the spa.

One of our favorite spots was the Deck 8 Yacht Club. This forward observation area is home to the ship’s coffee shop. You can also admire the views from this top deck, as well as relax with a book or board games.

Onboard Star Breeze, guests can enjoy breakfast and lunch at the deck 7 Veranda which offers a hybrid buffet and casual restaurant. For dinner, cruisers had three dining options. The Amphora main dining room offered a traditional three course dinner most nights.

For alternative dining, there was the steakhouse, Candles, and the Spanish tapas restaurant, Cuadro 44. Due to Windstar Cruises’ health and safety measures and low capacity, these alternative restaurants alternated when they were open during our sailing. Unfortunately, the new Star Grill was not open this trip.

On Windstar Cruises, the cruise fare includes all dining and non-alcoholic drinks. The cruise line also offers beverage packages for those looking to enjoy some adult cocktails.

At night, the Compass Rose lounge comes alive with music and amazing bar service. It is the place to unwind after a long day ashore and mingle with new friends. The venue featured a house band and a musical duo that alternated sets throughout the cruise.

The Lounge is the other entertainment space on the ship. This venue featured port talks and two shows during our sailing.

Not to mention, Windstar Cruises is known for its signature experiences, like the deck BBQ and Destination Discovery events. On this sailing, these events included a private beach day on a motu and an evening of Tahitian culture complete with food and dancing.

For this 7-day Dreams of Tahiti cruise, the Star Breeze delivered an upscale cruise experience. Given the intimate nature of the vessel, we got to know many of the passengers and crew. The smaller ship size also allows guests to get up close to the destinations. During the day, we explored the Society Islands on many immersive shore excursions. Then, once back onboard the ship, all the familiar cruise favorites were right at our finger tips.

If you are considering a cruise to Tahiti, look no further than Windstar Cruises!

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Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Pre-Cruise

A Pre-Cruise Stay

Making up for lost cruising time, we are looking to check off some of our bucket list destinations in 2022. One of these cruise destinations was Tahiti. So, when the opportunity arose to cruise Windstar Cruises’ newly refurbished Star Breeze on the Dreams of Tahiti itinerary, we could not pass up the opportunity.

As one of the only cruise lines sailing year-round in the region, we were able to secure an itinerary that aligned with my birthday. I couldn’t think of a better birthday present than seven days in the South Pacific.

With over 17 hours of travel time from Boston to Papeete, we booked a two day pre-cruise stay at the Intercontinental Tahiti. Of course, the Princess insisted that we upgrade the typical accommodations to an overwater bungalow. I reluctantly agreed.

The time changes from the East Coast and our flight schedule had us arriving late Tuesday night for our Thursday cruise. So, in all honesty, we only had one full day at the resort.

With picture-perfect weather, and mid-80 degree temperatures, it was pretty easy to fight the jet lag. This private bungalow offered direct access to the ocean, so I was in heaven swimming in between some work and exploration of the resort.

Honestly, the Intercontinental felt pretty empty, so we were able to wander the entire property and take in the lush backdrop of this seaside resort with little crowds.

With a few happy hour drinks, dinner at the casual restaurant, and a beautiful sunset, it was an early night for us. Our internal clocks were not completely adjusted yet. Not to mention, we didn’t want to miss a beat on the first day of our Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review.

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 1

More Testing

Without an alarm to even wake us up, we were both ready for the day by around 6:30 am. Though, our pre-arranged transfer from the hotel wasn’t until 11 am. This was also the same time as checkout.

So, this gave us plenty of time to pack up, do some work, grab some coffee, and still be in the lobby by 10:30 am.

Leaving the hotel a few minutes after 11 am in a small van with two other couples, it took just over 15 minutes to arrive at the pier. It was officially time to get this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review started!

Currently, there are several health protocols in place due to COVID when visiting French Polynesia. First, your last vaccine dose must be within 9 months. In most cases, this means you will need a booster dose to cruise to Tahiti. Second, travelers need to arrive with a test within 24 hours of flight time and submit to an additional PCR test at the airport.

Plus, Windstar Cruises also performs a PCR test at the pier during the check-in process. This is in addition to arriving with a test taken within 72 hours of embarkation day.

As part of this process, cruisers need to quarantine in their suites until they receive their test results. Given the additional protocols, our embarkation routine was a bit different. 

We were seated in the outdoor waiting area before 11:30 am and were finally called to begin our check-in by 12:15 pm. The health screening, testing, and security checks took around 15 minutes. So, we were onboard the ship and escorted to our suite by 12:30 pm.

Our stateroom, Suite 631, was a Star Balcony room. This new cabin category offered plenty of space to wait out the results of our COVID tests.

During this time, we ordered some room service and were able to unpack as our bags arrived about 30 minutes after we entered “quarantine”.  

While our room service order took about 40 minutes, it was nice to have complimentary 24-hour food included onboard Windstar Cruises.

You Are Now Free to Roam Around the Ship

Finally, about 2.5 hours later, we received the knock at our door. Our tests were back, and were negative, so we were free to explore the ship. With our blue wristbands donned, indicating we had been cleared to leave our room, we spent the next 75 minutes exploring the public areas.

When you are sailing on a 13,000 gross ton ship with 8 total decks, a ship tour does not take very long. So, even though we started our tour way later than usual, we were still able to cover the whole ship before muster drill.

Our deck 6 suite ended up being the ideal location. We were not far from either a midship or aft staircase. Further, we were only a few steps away from the two indoor public entertainment areas and a few decks away from dining. We never had to go far to experience everything the ship offered.

At 4:15 pm, we popped into the port talk given by the destination manager, Martina. The talk provided an overview of the excursions for each port of call. Before our cruise, we booked all our tours through Windstar. So, this talk mostly confirmed that the excursions we chose before the trip were still the best options for us.

Done before 5 pm, we made a quick pitstop back at our cabin before the 5:15 pm mandatory muster drill. While we did not need a life jacket, Windstar Cruises still conducts a more traditional safety drill. This meant we had to meet at our A3 muster station on deck 7 for the approximately 10 minute demonstration.

Star Breeze’s sail away was planned for 6 pm. Like many other cruisers, we headed to the Star Bar to grab our sail away drinks following the muster drill.

Getting seats on the starboard side of deck 8, we enjoyed our drinks and the weather. Alas, the Captain’s announcement informed us that our sail away was delayed.

Unfortunately, six cruisers tested positive for COVID. Thus, the cruise line was in the process of disembarking those guests.

I can’t imagine receiving that news once already onboard the ship.

A Rather Low Key Night Onboard

With sail away delayed, and a port talk for tomorrow’s stop at 6:30 pm, we took our drinks back to the room for a quick refresh and costume change.

The destination manager’s talk about Moorea included some details about the top places to see, as well as the island’s history. With Q&A, the presentation finished by 6:55 pm. This meant we were among the first in the Amphora dining room at 7 pm.

We knew the ship was sailing at reduced capacity. Still, the main dining room felt eerily quiet for the first night. With the only other dining option being the steakhouse, Candles, we weren’t sure where everyone else on the ship was eating tonight.

The main dining room on Windstar Cruises is open seating from 7 to 9 pm, meaning you do not need reservations.

Upon arrival, we were escorted to a table for two on the portside of the restaurant. Our waitstaff duo were quick with our food orders, even if they were not the biggest conversationalists. Bar service was also fast, with Ace making sure we had enough wine and cocktails during our meal.

Dinner took a total of 70 minutes with the food served hot and fresh.

As you would expect, the Princess ordered a chicken dish. I opted for the risotto, which the chef was able to custom due to my scallop allergy. Overall, the food was average, with the crepes dessert being the highlight of tonight’s meal.

Done by a little after 8 pm, there were no planned activities until 9 pm. Knowing that we would fall asleep if we went back to our room, we opted to head to the Compass Rose lounge early.

This indoor lounge is home to live music. Tonight, the two musical acts, Queen of Aces and Sky Blue, would be alternating sets.

When we arrived, the venue was completely empty. So, we grabbed a round of espresso martinis as we waited.

With the Windstar All Inclusive Package essentially all alcoholic beverages are included, as well as WiFi and gratuities.

By 9 pm, the band began playing. They were at least two or three songs in before we were finally joined by some fellow cruisers. The playlist featured songs from Frank Sinatra to the Commodores.

When the set ended around 9:45 pm, we decided to head back to our room. With our first port of call and an early morning tour, we needed some shut eye.

Tomorrow was our first port of call in Moorea.

WATCH OUR WINDSTAR TAHITI CRUISE REVIEW VIDEO!

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 2

A Morning in Moorea

Day 2 of this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review began with a call in Moorea.

With an 8 am meeting time for our tour, I was up and about roaming the outdoor decks by 6 am. There was just enough sunlight for a few videos and photos before getting our morning coffee at the Deck 8 Yacht Club Café.

Packed up and ready right at 8 am, we made it to the Lounge to check-in for our tour. We booked the Island Tour with Belvedere Lookout. This seemed like the most comprehensive introduction to the island and French Polynesian culture and history.

Like most destinations on this Tahitian cruise, Moorea was a tender port. So, the destinations team escorted our tour to the first tender of the day. We were ashore, and our tour bus headed out just past 8:30 am.

Our small mini-bus had about 15 people, so it was a perfect-sized tour.

Tom, our tour guide, spent the next 4 hours showing us all of the main highlights of the second most populated island in the Society Islands.

Tom was originally from CA but married a Tahitian woman and had been living on Moorea for 17 years. So, he had plenty of knowledge to offer regarding the history, as well as modern day living. He provided just the right mix of facts and folklore, with a natural delivery that made him engaging and easy to follow.

Among the 6+ stops on the tour were the UC Berkeley research center, the Belvedere Lookout, the Papetoai Temple, and an archeological site with several marae.

Tom did a good job keeping the tour on time and well-paced. The stops felt just long enough to get some background about the location or the cultural significance of the landmark.

We Could Get Used to These Views

When we arrived back to the tender drop off around 12:15 pm, there was a boat waiting for us. While some of our tour participants decided to head into town, we headed back to the ship.

The short tender ride has us onboard around 12:30 pm. Back to the room, we dropped off our gear and headed to the buffet. The deck 7 Veranda is a small, casual restaurant that is open select hours for breakfast and lunch. It has both indoor and al fresco seating options.

Today’s lunch was Asian inspired. A mix of sushi, rice, chicken satays, and bao buns were just the items we needed to refuel after a morning ashore.

With some al fresco aft seats, we watched fellow cruisers use the watersports platform while we dined. Another great benefit of Windstar Cruises is that use of this watersports platform on Deck 3 is complimentary for all guests. It includes items like kayaks, a water trampoline, wake boards, and more.

While I debated joining the fun, I figured we had other days ahead to make use of the equipment. Unfortunately, the timing of our tours meant I never actually got to use the watersports during this cruise.

Instead, we found some shaded loungers on Deck 7 where we spent a few hours working with the island as our backdrop. Actually, we spent less time working and more time talking to some of our deck chair mates. Like many small cruise ships, fellow travelers were friendly and ready to strike up a conversation.

Along the way, we may have grabbed a few drinks as well. Around 3:30 pm, we headed back to the room to finish up work before the 6:30 pm destination talk.

A Slight Change of Plans

While back in the room, an announcement was made that the Welcome Reception was being moved to the Lounge at 6 pm due to weather. Given we already planned to go to the port talk, why not head there early to say hi to the officers.

As expected, the event included some champagne, hors d’oeuvres, and a number of officers making the rounds. We chatted with the hotel director for a bit, along with some of our fellow cruisers. By now, we were already running into the same people over and over.

As the event progressed, it was clear that the port talk was not going to happen. So, it was either moved or rescheduled. Either way, we headed up to deck 7 for dinner when the Welcome Reception ended right before 7 pm.

At embarkation, we reserved the two signature dining experiences as part of the check-in process. Obviously, we booked the earliest time slot at 7 pm.

Just a Small Bite for Dinner

The first of these alternative dining venues was the tapas restaurant Cuadro 44 by the James Beard recognized chef, Anthony Sasso.

While there is an intimate indoor venue on deck 6 of Star Breeze, Cuadro 44 was moved outside to Veranda given COVID protocols. It ended up that this restaurant and Candles alternated use of the al fresco space throughout the cruise.

Of course, we started the meal with a glass of sangria. The Princess’ apple and raspberry cider sangria was a sweet change of pace to this classic Spanish drink.

Given the menu, we decided to try a number of the different small plates. The standouts included the potato tortilla, paella croquetas, and the grilled chorizo. For entrees, the wife did the only meal with chicken, which was a pasta dish. I ordered the pork belly, which was very juicy and flavorful. This three-course meal wouldn’t be complete without an order of churros.

There were several team members coming by for food orders, food delivery, and bar service throughout the meal. The food timing was a little inconsistent, especially as the restaurant got busier around 7:45 pm. Still, the bar server Noel made sure our sangria glasses were never empty.

Out of the restaurant by 8:15 pm, we had over an hour until the next scheduled event, the first “show” of the cruise.

Windstar Cruises Entertainment

Walking around the ship, most other public areas were quiet. Thus, without much else to do, we pulled up a chair at Compass Rose. Maricela, the bartender, already knew our names and drink order. Doing some social media and chatting with the staff for about 30 minutes, we took our drinks down a deck to the Lounge.

The Songs We Wish We Had Written was an ensemble production featuring the ship’s live band, duo, and the entertainment director, Steve. It included features from all of the musicians, with songs from Willie Nelson, to Bruno Mars, Pink, and the Beatles.

What the show might have lacked in cohesion and stage presence, the talented performers certainly made up for it.

Like most cruise shows, it was about 50 minutes. Finishing our second round of cocktails, we stuck around for an additional 20 minutes or so before calling it a night.

Without our afternoon coffee, we were both feeling a bit sluggish. Not to mention, it was another early morning tour tomorrow in Raiatea.

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 3

The New Normal Morning Routine

Up bright and early this morning, it was an overcast and rainy Saturday. We were not going to let the weather dampen our second port of call on this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review, Raiatea.

The main attraction here is the Faaroa River, a critical passageway for the migration of settlers to the region.

Given the wife’s lack of swimming skills, we opted for the motorized canoe trip up the river instead of kayaking.

Similar to the day before, I grabbed us some coffee and pastries from the deck 8 café while the wife got ready.

Our tour meeting time was 8:15 am in the Lounge. By now, the destinations team already knew us by name. So, we simply grabbed some towels and bottles of water and took a seat. Not long after, our tour was called, and we were escorted to the deck 4 gangway. Today, we were docked, so there was no need for a tender boat ride to shore.

Time to Observe Raiatea

Our guide, Tihoti, was a local storyteller and cultural expert. He was sincere and informative, with a true passion for his culture and history.

A short walk from our ship, we arrived at our transportation for the day and departed for this 3.5 hour tour. The motorized outrigger canoe took us along the coast to the bay and entrance of the Faaroa river.

During the trip, Tihoti provided a naturalist perspective of the land, river, and people of French Polynesia. He wanted us to detach from our devices and “observe” the surroundings. 

As we slowly made our way upstream, he pointed out some of the indigenous plants. Along with coconut, chestnut, and breadfruit, we also spotted some crustaceans and birds which call the island home. With the motors off, it was an eerily quiet and surreal experience drifting along the protected waterway.

The river tour lasted about 75 minutes, as the vessel could only go so far up the river given the depth of the riverbed.

Turning around, we headed out into the lagoon towards a small motu. With a water landing near the sandy shore, we had about an hour to use the beach or just relax in the sun.

Just as our time at this beach break was ending, a small storm cloud dumped heavy rain upon us. This storm was short lived, but the damage was done, as we all returned to the ship drenched.

Another Afternoon in French Polynesia

Similar to the day before, we were back ashore around noon.

Though, given our wet clothes, we needed some time to change up before lunch. So, we headed back to our room then up to the Veranda restaurant around 12:30 pm.

Unlike the day before, the food selections did not seem to have much of a theme. I went with some rice and Asian beef, while Heidi ordered from the grill menu. Her grilled chicken sandwich did not take long to arrive.

We learned from a tablemate that there was a small ice cream station in the buffet that we had previously missed. So, we both made sure to save room for a scoop.

With the rain gone, the sun was trying to peek through the clouds. So, we grabbed some loungers and a drink to admire the views.

Alas, the good weather didn’t last too long, as the wind picked up pretty quickly. Thus, it was back to the room to do some work and change up for the evening.

Tihoti would be coming aboard for a cultural presentation at 5 pm. Similar to our tour during the day, his lecture regarding the history and meaning of Tahitian tattoos was animated and educational.

A Signature Night Onboard Star Breeze

Another benefit of taking a Windstar cruise is the small touches and signature experiences offered by the cruise line.

Regardless of the itinerary or ship, all Windstar Cruises sailings feature a number of these not to be missed events. Tonight was the first of these, the line’s outdoor barbecue on the pool deck.

Following the cultural presentation, we returned to our room for a bit before the deck party. While the weather was hit or miss all day, for the time being, it appeared to be calm and clear. We arrived to the 7 pm event a few minutes early to snap some photos.

Similar to our Caribbean cruise on Wind Surf in 2019, the deck party included some upscale menu items.

Among my favorites were the grilled shrimp skewers and the roasted pig. There were other grilled specialties, along with salads and dessert. Unfortunately, the paella contained scallops, so I was not able to sample it.

The onboard duo and entertainment director provided live music during dinner as well. It was a festive and delicious evening to mingle with fellow cruisers.

The dinner lasted about 90 minutes before the tables were cleared for some line dancing. Of course, we were not among the few cruisers daring enough to join the crew.

We were surprised that a number of the senior officers were strutting their stuff on the pool deck. For a boutique cruise line, Windstar is anything but pretentious. The officers are very visible throughout the ship and often participate in the events and night life.

With the food, drinks, and dancing continuing for two hours, our luck finally ran out. A downpour essentially put an end to the YMCA and this signature event.

So, we returned to our room for a quick touch-up before heading to Compass Rose.

Arriving close to 10 pm, the venue was the busiest we had seen any public space all cruise. The band was playing, and a number of familiar faces were drinking, socializing, and dancing. This included both cruisers and the crew.

At one point, some of the cruisers joined the band for a few songs. When did this become a karaoke session?

A couple of rounds of espresso martinis later, we called it a night around 11pm.

As you could guess, we had another early morning tour tomorrow.

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Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 4

A Rushed Morning

Day 4 of our Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review took us to Taha’a. This port of call offered the least tour options. So, it is not surprising that Windstar Cruises offers its signature island experience this day. This event takes place from 10 am to 4 pm on a small motu nearby the main island.

Much like the night before, it included live music and an outdoor barbecue. Many cruisers were just opting for the beach break today. Thus, we were among the few that booked a morning tour. In hindsight, we might have been better off just making this a beach day.

Our tour meeting time was 7:45 am, the earliest yet. So, we definitely did not have much time to do work or grab breakfast before getting to the Lounge this morning. I skipped my usual routine of taking photos and videos and just grabbed some coffee.

Perhaps it was the drinks last night, but we were both a bit slow getting ready today. The grey, overcast clouds and pockets of rain weren’t helping either.

Right on time, our tour was escorted to the tender platform for the approximately 15 minute ride over to the island.

A Scenic Drive Around Taha’a

The Scenic Exploration of Taha’a tour included three stops around the island. We expected to get some narration during the drive, but that was not the case. We did get some brief presentations at each of the stops though.

Our first stop was a lookout point. Here, we were learned more about the island and sampled some fresh fruit. We also learned how to perform the tamure, a Tahitian dance.

Next, it was on to the Love Here Black Pearl Farm. Given the lack of a guided tour, the others in our safari bus began chatting about their cruise history.

At the pearl farm, we learned about the process of seeding and harvesting the namesake jewel. Even though it was MY birthday, I offered to get the Princess a souvenir. When nothing really jumped out at her, I put my wallet back in my pocket, and we headed back to our safari jeep.

Our final stop took us to a family run vanilla plantation. Here, we learned about the tedious task of growing vanilla. The plantation owner described the multiple stages it takes to turn this orchid into the flavorful and fragrant bean we all love.

While the Princess passed on getting a souvenir at the pearl farm, I opted to purchase a few things at this vanilla plantation, including homemade vanilla extract and rum.

It was a short drive from the plantation back to the pier, so we arrived about 15 minutes later for the tender back to the ship.

A Signature Afternoon for This Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review

Windstar’s second signature experience of this cruise was an island barbecue on a private motu. Although, you needed to take a zodiac to reach the beach.

Heidi is not a swimmer, so she was apprehensive about taking this small vessel over to the beach party. After some gentle nudging, I was able to get her onboard.

Holding on for dear life, we made it to the motu to find a pretty nice setup.

Lounge chairs dotted the coast. A large pavilion was home to an impressive barbecue display. There were also water sports, a bar, and facilities. So, it was essentially like having our own private island.

First things first, we grabbed some seats and food.

Again, the jambalaya contained scallops. So, I was stuck with some seafood skewers, rice, a hot dog, and fish tacos. Needless to say, I didn’t go hungry.

The food was on par with the previous night’s barbecue. It was a much better spread than the typical BBQ food you get on a contemporary cruise line’s private island.

After lunch, we took the small lap around the motu to get some pictures. This exploration was rather short, so we pulled up some loungers, grabbed a few drinks, and just relaxed. After all, it was my birthday.

While it wasn’t raining, it was overcast and windy, so not really ideal swimming weather.

Around 2:30 pm, we decided to head back to the ship.

With a coffee from the Yacht Club Café in hand, we returned to our room to do some work for the rest of the afternoon.  

We’re Gonna Party Like It’s Your Birthday

Tonight, we had a reservation for the second alternative dining experience, Candles. So, we were showered and changed up for this signature steakhouse for 7 pm.

When we arrived, we were greeted by a small line. I guess other cruisers were just as eager to carve into dinner as I was.

Even though it had rained during the afternoon, they were still seating guests outside. Fortunately, we were able to stay dry the entire meal.

Upon being sat, our waiter quickly came by with the menus and the signature focaccia bread. Our bar server, Noel, also stopped by to take our drink order.

For a starter, I ordered the Caesar salad, and the Princess did the clam chowder. While a slightly different preparation than the classic New England dish, she enjoyed it.

For the main course, I went with the filet and a few sides. The medium rare filet was just the right temperature, and a few sprinkles of the smoked applewood salt was just the right enhancement to the entrée.

Alongside the well seared cut of beef, I also had sautéed asparagus and onion rings.

As you would guess by now, Heidi ordered the sole chicken dish on the menu.

For dessert, I tried the chocolate ganache bar and the Princess did the crème brulee.

Overall, the waitstaff did an excellent job with timing of the meal even if the dinner did take closer to 90 minutes tonight.

Right at the end of our dinner, the staff came by with a small cake for my birthday and offered to send it back to our room. Thank goodness as I certainly could not eat it now!

I’m Still Standing After a Few Drinks

Out of dinner around 8:30 pm, we had an hour before this evening’s show. It was a tribute to Elton John by the entertainment manager Steve.

So, we had some time to pop into the Star Boutique for our obligatory cruise t-shirt and ornament. We were one for two, as there were no Christmas tree ornaments. But, I did get a nice new rash guard.

Returning our purchase to the stateroom, we were greeted with birthday decorations and a celebratory towel cake.

By 9:30 pm, there was a decent crowd in the Lounge for tonight’s show. Certainly, it was the busiest show of the cruise to date. The hour long production featured a number of classic songs from this well-known artist. Steve did an excellent job recreating the signature sound and melodies through his piano skills and singing.

While the Princess preferred the first show of the cruise, I found this performance to be more entertaining.

Done by 10:30 pm, it was up to Compass Rose to see Maricela and Noel for our go-to espresso martinis. The Sky Duo was performing a unique set that featured classic ballads, 80’s pop songs, and everything in between. When the two singers finished around 11:30 pm, that was our cue to call it a night.

My Tahitian birthday celebration was officially over.

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 5

Trying to Catch Up

This Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review includes two days in Bora Bora. For the first day, we had two shore excursions booked. Then, we were planning to play the second day by ear.

Star Breeze was due to dock by 9 am. Our 4X4 jeep tour had to meet in the Lounge for one of the first tenders over to the island. Even though this tour was a bit later than our previous tours, we decided to wake up at the same time. Hopefully, we could catch up on some work before heading ashore.

I grabbed coffee and a few pictures, then headed back to the room. The ship’s WiFi connection seemed to be holding strong at first; however, it did not last long.

Down to the Lounge for our scheduled meeting time, we were escorted off the ship with the other tours not long after we arrived.

Off the Beaten Path in Bora Bora

After a 10-minute tender ride, we met our driver Teva (like the sandal) for our off-road adventure. With clear skies and beautiful temperatures, the jeep’s top was off, and our group of 5 was ready to see Bora Bora!

Now, we have done off-road safari tours before in places like Aruba, but I guess we were not counting on the engineering of the 20^th century military. Our journey up the unkept roads forged through the island’s steep and rocky landscape.

Albeit quite bumpy, it was a lot of fun.

The tour included several stops, many of them lookout points that gave us panoramic views of the island. We could see the lagoons, many of the 32 motus, and the famous overwater bungalows. We also drove by the famous Bloody Mary’s restaurant, stopped at Matira beach, and visited WWII cannons.

At each stop, our tour guide provided us with a detailed overview of the island as well as French Polynesian culture. He was informative, honest, and happy to answer our questions.

Not to mention, he was a superb driver. It felt like each off-road adventure was more intense, with the pitch of the roads feeling like the jeep could topple over at any point.

An Afternoon Onboard Star Breeze

Our tour went a bit long, so we were not back to the tender station until almost 1 pm. Unlike our previous tours, there was not a tender waiting for us. In fact, we waited 15+ minutes before the small orange boat waded over to the dock.

By now, several other tours and private outings had returned as well, making this tender quite full.

We finally arrived back at the ship around 1:30 pm. With the Veranda, the only restaurant open for lunch, closing at 2 pm, we dropped off our gear and dashed up to deck 7 along with all the other cruisers on the tender boat.

Today’s buffet had a Mexican theme with fajitas, tacos, nachos, and rice. This was right up our alley. I probably ate more than I should have and washed it all down with a margarita of course.

Our quick lunch turned into close to an hour as we chatted with some newly made friends.

Grabbing coffee and heading back to the room, we had about 90 minutes until our second tour of the day, a sunset cruise at 5 pm.

Somehow, we managed to get what we needed done with a mix of the ship’s WiFi and our cellular signal, which worked surprisingly well.

Changed up and down to the Lounge for 4:45 pm, we were greeted with a few familiar faces also joining us on the tour. While it had been sunny and clear all day, I commented that the skies were rather gray.

Calling It An Early Night

As luck would have it, by the time we reached the pier, it was raining. I don’t mean drizzling, I mean pouring. Our tour guide said we should wait a few minutes as it would likely pass. Of course, his small boat was not covered and soaked at this point.

After a few minutes, we concluded the tour was not going to happen. Even if the rain let up eventually, it was not going to be an optimal night for sunset photos. This was rather disappointing, as we hadn’t caught a good sunset all cruise.

So, it was back on the same tender to return to the ship.

Now that we were onboard, we would be able to see the last destination talk happening at 6:30 pm in the Lounge. This port talk given by Martina included information on our last port of call, Huahine, as well as more details about the Destination Discovery event taking place tomorrow evening.

The talk ended right before 7 pm. Perfect timing for dinner.

Down to the Amphora main dining room on deck 3, we were among the first guests in the restaurant. Our centrally located table for two was the ideal spot with much better lighting for photos. We both agreed that this dinner was much better than our night 1 experience as well.

My crab cake was crispy and filled with plenty of sweet crab. The veal osso bucco was very tender and bursting with flavor. The Princess also enjoyed her watermelon salad.

All along our waitstaff was timely and kept our meals well-paced. Though, the bar servers really shined with their personalities and attentiveness.

Finishing up around 8:15 pm, it was over an hour until the show. Tonight, the house band was doing a tribute to the Beatles. While I am a fan of the fab four, we were tired and have attended plenty of Beatles cruise shows over the years.

So, we decided to call it a night after dinner.

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 6

For Once a Lazy Morning

With no tours planned on our second day in Bora Bora, we were going to take it easy this morning.

Not needing to rush off for a tour, we could actually get breakfast at the Veranda. We took our time getting ready and were upstairs around 8:30 am.

The first tenders of the day had already set sail, so the restaurant was not too busy.

One unique feature of this casual restaurant is the mix of buffet items and made to order selections. Of course, the Princess ordered an omelet. Other menu options did include French toast, pancakes, and waffles, but I stuck with some eggs and bacon from the buffet.

With the cruise more than 75% over, and still no souvenirs from French Polynesia, we needed to do some shopping today. So, we hopped on a tender to head to the port around 10:30 am.

We spent a little under two hours walking around the nearby shops and galleries. We were able to score the obligatory t-shirts and ornament.

I guess we both expected some of the ports to be a bit more touristy, with shops and restaurants. Perhaps, one reason people love to cruise the Society Islands is that it is not as built up as Caribbean ports.

Back on the ship by 12:30 pm, we enjoyed the beautiful weather and perhaps a margarita in honor of National Margarita Day!

By 3:30 pm, we grabbed our afternoon coffee and returned to the room to do some work for a couple hours.

Discovering Polynesian Culture

Our assigned time to head to the motu for this evening’s Destination Discovery event was 5:15 pm, the third and final catamaran. We were showered and changed up early, so we headed down to the gangway closer to 5 pm. There was plenty of room on the second catamaran, so we hopped on this earlier transport.

The ride took a little over 15 minutes to arrive at the pier. This small sandy island was even nicer than where we had our beach break a few days earlier. We were greeted with leis from the officers and a Mai Tai from the bar servers.  

Now, this was my type of destination discovery event.

We spent about an hour walking around the area. To our surprise, it did contain more facilities than we expected, including some overwater beds. Along the way, we took some photos of the setting sun while enjoying our drinks and chatting with fellow travelers.

A small rain cloud interrupted our evening and delayed our meal. The traditional dinner included poisson cru (a tuna with coconut milk dish), and several fresh grilled items like prime rib, seafood, and pork belly.

It was an impressive spread. Honestly, I liked the food here a bit more than the deck party BBQ earlier in the cruise.

We finished up eating around 6:45 pm, which didn’t give us much time between dinner and the show.

The main event of the evening was the traditional Tahitian dancers and fire performers. The hour long production was quite impressive. Somehow, I even got roped into being part of the show. With no professional training, I think I held my own with the tamure!

The show ended at 8 pm, and we all boarded catamarans for the sail back to the ship.

Even though there was no entertainment until 9:30 pm, we headed to Compass Rose. A few of us grabbed some tables and drinks. Two rounds, and just under two hours later, we closed the place down!

Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Day 7

Our Final Tour of the Cruise

Our final day of this Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review took us to Huahine.

We had an 8:45 am tour this morning, the Sacred Sites and Legendary Places shore excursion. Part of me wanted to cancel the tour when the alarm went off at 6 am. Still, I managed to get up and get our usual coffee and continental breakfast.

Huahine was definitely the most lush island on this Dreams of Tahiti cruise. But this is not to say that it was completely undeveloped. In fact, the downtown area of Fare, our first stop of the tour, seemed pretty busy.

On the pier, we met our tour guide, Paul. He was from California but had been living in French Polynesia for over 25 years. Paul holds degrees in anthropology and archeology. He also had a sense of humor and plenty of cultural details.

His narration at the various stops offered a historical backstory, sprinkled with modern day sensibilities. If visiting Huahine, we would certainly suggest booking this tour with Paul.

Leaving the small pier in Huahine Iti, we took the bridge over to Huahine Nui. After visiting the island capital, we stopped at a local vanilla plantation.

The tour also included a hike up to Mata’ire Hill to see some marae and learn more about pre-western and post western religion, society, and traditions. While described as a moderate walk, the path was muddy, slippery, and often unmarked making the climb a bit more difficult than we expected, especially while wearing flip flops.

Additional stops on this tour included a small museum in Maeva Village, a stop in the village of Faie to feed the blue-eyed eels found only in Huahine, and a photo op at Belvedere Lookout with the ship docked out in Maroe Bay.

Preparing to Return to Reality

Paul was a great tour guide and very passionate, but rather long-winded. Thus, the tour went over its scheduled time by about 30 minutes.

By the time we got back to the pier and tendered back to the ship, it was after 1:30 pm. With the Veranda closing at 2 pm, we quickly dropped off our bags and cleaned off our muddy mess before racing up to lunch.

Today’s lunch was an odd mixture of items. I was able to cobble together a plate, while the Princess opted for a grilled chicken sandwich again.

This was certainly the hottest and most humid day of the trip! From sitting in the open air Le Truck and hiking up the mountain, we were a bit sun-drained. So, we headed back to our room to rest up.

Plus, we had to start preparing for our long travel time home. This meant packing, as well as getting our COVID test between 4-6 pm.

We arrived right at 4 pm and quickly received our swabs from the ship’s doctor.

Saying Good Bye to Star Breeze

Tonight was the crew talent show to which we were looking forward, as it was a fun time during our previous sailing on Wind Surf.

Sadly, during the Captain’s 5 pm announcement, he indicated that a few crew members tested positive for COVID, so the show needed to be cancelled. We appreciated the honesty and Windstar Cruises’ precautions when it came to onboard protocols.

So, there would be no farewell toast or crew talent show, meaning the night was pretty wide open now.

Like usual, we were to dinner promptly at 7 pm.

One thing I like about Windstar Cruises is that there are no formal nights; though, the Princess might disagree. However, tonight’s menu did feature typical formal night entrées including lobster tail and beef tenderloin. Needless to say, I made my own surf and turf.

The thinly sliced tenderloin was cooked to the perfect medium-rare temperature. The lobster tail was covered in a light sauce that was savory and rich. Coupled with some risotto, this lobster ranks among the best that I have ever had at sea!

Even the dessert this final evening was top notch. The grand marnier soufflé was the perfect ending to this meal.

With tonight’s show cancelled, we headed to Compass Rose for our final espresso martinis of the cruise. Maricela was happy to mix up this send off cocktail.

But first, we did make a pitstop at our suite to check the results of our COVID tests. Negative…phew!

Steve, the entertainment manager, arrived in Compass Rose around 9 pm for an impromptu piano session. He has a solid voice and piano skills; although, he does need to bone up on his song catalog.

About an hour later, it was officially time to say good bye to our new friends and call it a night.

Back to the room, we organized and packed a bit before going to bed. Windstar requests passengers put out bags between 5:30 and 6:30 am, not the night before.

So, we set our alarm for 5:30 am for disembarkation day.

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Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review – Disembarkation

Our Journey Home

Alas, our Windstar Cruises Tahiti Review was at its end.

Our flight home was not until 10:40 pm. So, our plan was to get a day room at the Intercontinental where we stayed pre-cruise. While we assumed Windstar had taken care of this for us, we ended up not getting the room. Unfortunately, this was a foreshadowing of how our travels home would unfold.

Still, we were booked on a shuttle to the Intercontinental. Here, we would see if we could at least get a day pass on our own once at the resort.

This shuttle to the Intercontinental (pink luggage tags) had a 8:20 am ship departure.

The ship pulled into Papeete around 7 am. By 7:45 am, the ship was cleared for disembarkation.

Grabbing our stuff, we headed to the deck 4 gangway slightly after 8 am. As we trekked down the two flights of stairs, we could see that there was no queue. So, we just walked right off the ship. Well, scanned out and exited down the external metal stairs to get shoreside. This had to be the simplest disembarkation ever.

On the pier, we grabbed our luggage and were pointed in the direction of our shuttle. The shuttle stopped first at the airport, then the Intercontinental. We arrived at the hotel by 8:45 am.

Unfortunately, day passes were sold out. So, we basically stayed in the lobby all day doing work and catching up on life. We grabbed lunch from the restaurant and intermittently chatted with a few of the other cruisers who were also using the facilities for the day.

A Long Two Days

We were notified of flight changes for our flight from Papeete to San Francisco early in the day. Basically, the plane was swapped out and our Premium Plus seats were now downgraded to Economy seats as this upgraded section no longer existed. Too bad, as these seats would have been the perfect sleeping accommodations for our overnight flight.

Later in the day, we noticed out seat assignments on both flights disappeared. I tried calling United to no avail. So, instead of taking our scheduled 8:40 pm transfer to the airport, we hopped on the 6:40 pm one.

Thankfully, this was the right move. While we had extra time to spend at the airport now, at least we were able to get some of our issues resolved. Although, we were told we would need to talk to an agent in San Francisco about our seat assignments on that flight.

Eventually, we began our long journey back to the East Coast.

Arriving in the San Francisco airport on time, the United representatives were able to help adjust our seats. Even though it was not the Princess’ preferred window seat, we were at least sitting together now.

However, due to the storms, our flight was delayed 2.5 hours. Thus, our Thursday night departure did not get us to Boston until after midnight on Saturday morning.

Still, we were finally home with memories of an unforgettable trip. Now, all we needed was some sleep because we had less than a week to unpack, do laundry, and repack for our next trip.

This Friday (March 4th), we will be departing on Royal Caribbean’s brand new Wonder of the Seas. It will be quite the change going from this small vessel to the largest cruise ship in the world!

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